Device for binding together one or more stalks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for binding together one or more stalks, such as flower stems and branches, with the aid of a binding material ( 30 ), with a further object being bound in during the binding operation, the stalks being placed next to a part of the binding material ( 30 ) which is essentially stationary during the binding operation, while a further part of the binding material ( 30 ) is wrapped around the stalks. The binding device according to the present invention is characterized in that the said further object is placed against the stationary part on the same side as the stalks, preferably before the stalks are placed against the stationary part.

What is claim:  
     
       1. Binding device for attaching binding material around one or more stalks of flower stems or branches, the binding device comprising: 
       a support for the stalks to be bound,  
       a closure mechanism arranged on one side of the support,  
       a wrapping mechanism, which is arranged on the other side of the support, for wrapping binding material around the stalks to be bound, which binding material extends from the closure mechanism, via a passage location in the support, to the wrapping mechanism, and  
       feed means for feeding in a feed direction a further object which is also to be bound in, to a delivery location which lies in a binding region, wherein the delivery location lies upstream of and next to the passage location, wherein feed means for feeding a further object comprise a feed path which runs in the downstream direction and ends at the delivery location,  
       wherein the feed path ( 21 ) is placed essentially at an incline and extends between a plane which is situated at a lower level than the plane of the support ( 22 ) and the delivery location ( 24 ) into the plane of the support ( 22 ), the feed means comprising a first conveyor belt ( 50 ) and one or more pivotable gripper members ( 51 ), the gripper members ( 51 ) being designed to grip firmly a further object ( 80 ) placed on the conveyor belt ( 50 ) and to deliver the further object ( 80 ) to the delivery location ( 24 ) by pivoting the member ( 51 ) via the feed path ( 21 ). 
     
     
       2. Device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the binding device uses elastic as the binding material ( 30 ). 
     
     
       3. Device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the device comprises a second conveyor belt ( 55 ), which is guided essentially around the first conveyor belt ( 50 ) in such a manner that the further objects ( 80 ) can be clamped between the first and second conveyor belts ( 50 ,  55 ), wherein the said feed means, for the purpose of feeding the further object, comprise a pusher member ( 7 ), a flat plate ( 6 ) and a lifting member ( 12 ), the said pusher member ( 7 ) being movably attached to a guide rail, in such a manner that the pusher member ( 7 ) can be moved over the plate ( 6 ) in a feed direction ( 8 ) and a return direction ( 9 ), the lifting member ( 12 ) being pivotably attached to a rotation pin ( 13 ) which is positioned essentially transversely to the direction of movement ( 8 ,  9 ) of the pusher member ( 7 ), in such a manner that the pusher member ( 7 ) passes over the top side of the lifting member ( 12 ) in the return direction ( 9 ) and passes under the bottom side of the lifting member ( 12 ) in the feed direction ( 8 ), wherein the pusher member ( 7 ) is pivotable about the pivot pin ( 10 ), wherein the said feed means comprise a carrier component ( 15 ) and a path ( 21 ) which is positioned at an incline and extends from an interim storage position ( 11 ) which is at a lower position than the plane of the support ( 22 ) and the delivery location ( 24 ) into the plane of the support ( 22 ), and the said carrier component ( 15 ) moving the said further object onwards, from the said interim storage position ( 11 ), over the said path ( 21 ) which is positioned at an incline, to the delivery location ( 24 ), wherein the binding device is an adhesive-tape binding device, which uses adhesive tape as the binding material, and in that the adhesive side of that part of the adhesive tape which, in the starting position of the wrapping mechanism, runs from the closure mechanism to the wrapping mechanism faces upstream, wherein the said binding device is provided with means for pressing the said further object against the adhesive tape on or from the said delivery location and wherein the attachment means comprise a compressed-air device ( 26 ), in order to press the said further object against the binding material. 
     
     
       4. Device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the said device comprises control means, the said control means being designed to feed a said further object whenever the wrapping mechanism moves into its initial position.